A Tarrant County jury convicted 20-year-old Javaughn Greer of murder and handed down a 40-year prison sentence for the beating death of 71-year-old Donald Snellings, a Fort Worth man who died weeks after being left unconscious with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and a brain bleed. The attack unfolded in stages, with Greer and another teenager knocking Snellings to the ground before walking away, then returning to finish what they started.
According to the Tarrant County DA, Greer and the second teen attacked Snellings on March 21, 2025, in the 900 block of East Broadway Avenue in Fort Worth. The pair reportedly knocked the 71-year-old to the ground, left the scene, and then came back to attack him a second time. When they returned, prosecutors say the teens targeted Snellings’s head and torso, and Greer stomped on the older man’s head before grabbing his cane and using it to strike him repeatedly.
Snellings was found unconscious at the scene with a broken jaw, broken ribs, and a brain bleed, per the same account. He survived for several weeks before dying on April 11, 2025. The Tarrant County DA thanked the Fort Worth Police Department for its work on the case and its commitment to keeping the community safe, and credited investigator Brian Johnson with the case. Assistant district attorneys DJ Estes and Michael Mooneuham prosecuted the case, per the DA’s statement.
What Comes Next for Greer Behind Bars
Because murder is classified as a first-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 19.02, Greer’s conviction carried a potential range of 5 to 99 years or life in prison, according to Saputo Toufexis. His 40-year sentence, however, comes with a steep catch: murder is also classified as an aggravated “3G” offense under Texas Government Code § 508.145(d), meaning Greer must serve at least half of his sentence in flat calendar time, with no good-conduct credits shaving that number down, before he can even be considered for parole, as explained by the L&L Law Group…